


Nightmares

by Labywraith



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Melog just wants all the happiness for them both, Nightmares are worse, PTSD is a hell of a thing, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:54:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24763429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Labywraith/pseuds/Labywraith
Summary: Adora watches as Catra shrinks more closer to her. She knows all too well how bad the nightmares can get, Catra has comforted her more times then she can count. Both of them are always there to bring the other back to reality, with no hesitation. She rocks her slightly and hums a little tune that always made catra happy when they were kids.“I’m right here.” Adora says simply, kissing the brunette's head gently. She runs her fingers down her scruffy locks and down her shoulders.“It felt so real..”“I know.”
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 115





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Notes at the end!

Catra blinks as she views an all too familiar scene. One that always continues to haunt her to no end. 

The day Adora came to rescue her from Primes ship. 

Adora was dangled precariously over the edge of the bridge, her feet slipping every so often, as she tried to find a hold. The chipped version of Catra held onto the blonde’s collar with a loose, uncaring grip. As if Prime would gladly make her let go without a second thought.

She could feel his voice in the back of her head. Whispers of his commands, the amusement he expressed as he used her as his puppet. The scene always changed in some way. The way Prime spoke, the way he planned to make Adora come to his terms, she’d seen them all. Being connected to the alien’s hive mind, she knew he had plans to make things go his way. If they didn’t, he would take the measures he felt were necessary to see them through. 

“She was afraid in the end. And she suffered.” Primes sickening voice melded with hers, feigning pity as if he truly gave a damn. 

Visions of fighting horde clones in her cell came flashing back to Catra. Feeling her lungs fill with the green liquid and the shocks of electricity shooting down her limbs. It was hard to breathe with the panic rising in her chest, she could feel herself sinking to the bottom of the deeper pool, fighting to somehow stay above it

‘Focus, it’s only a nightmare.’ she tried to tell herself, but the fear was getting to her.

Catra watched as her chipped self’s face shifted into boredom, inspecting the sharpness of her claws. “Her connections to you made her hard to control. Made her resist.” She addressed Adora, pulled her close with a sickening grin. “Perhaps, I should rid her of them for good. It would not be hard.”

Catra’s blood turned to ice as she watched her claws be pressed into Adora's neck. Enough to draw blood but not to kill. Anger bubbled in her stomach over how much she wanted to move, to pull adora to safety and fall into a kinder, safer dream. But she was always held in place by some invisible wall, made to watch each nightmare play out.

Adora glared at the dream Catra. Determination in her eyes mixed with fear. A look Catra could never forget. The anger on her face, the pain in her words. 

“Why are you making Catra do this!?” She yelled, tears once again welling in her eyes..

Catra could see the gears turning in the blonde's head as she tried to find a way out of her predicament. Trying to find some way to free her without causing her harm.

“Making her? Why no Adora. This is merely her pain and sadness rising to the surface.”

‘No’ 

“You are the reason, you are at fault.”

‘No! Adora, it's not true!’ Catra screams. The nightmare begins to consume her. Guilt floods her of all the times she said the same things to her. She screams at Adora and hits the invisible wall, trying to make herself heard. It never works. There isn’t a reaction that she’s even there. She can’t do anything except watch as the pain on Adora's face grows.

“She wanted to be rid of you. I am only giving her the means to achieve what she desires.”

‘It’s not true! IT’S NOT TRUE! STOP IT!’ She crumbles to her knees, overcome with panic. She’s trying to snap herself out of the nightmare, but the fear is growing too fast. “I LOVE HER! MAKE IT STOP!” She knows what’s coming next, knows how much it hurts.

An aura of anger surrounds Adora as she grabs the dream catra by the arm and holds it firmly. She stares into the green glow of her eyes with hatred, not towards Catra, but towards her puppeteer. “Catra! I know you can hear me! I know this isn’t what you want. I’m bringing you back to me! Whatever it takes!.We’re going home together! I promise!”

“Stop it, you idiot!” Catra sobs as her dreamself’s face falls in anger. Her body shakes as she frantically tries to get to Adora, to find some way past the barrier. She claws and punches, trying to break through with her shoulder. There are no openings, it doesn’t even crack. Her heart begins to twist in her chest. She doesn’t know what to do. The wall feels like it’s closing in around her. 

She can’t tell it’s only a dream anymore, it feels too real. The air feels like it’s being crushed from her lungs

“Disappointing. It’s clear your stubbornness will become an issue, even if you were under my control.” The chipped catra shrugs. “Alas. That’s just something I have no use of, and those who have no use, are disposed.”

Suddenly the barrier disappears just as Catra’s dreamself shoves Adora back with a kick to the chest. 

Catra crumbles to the floor. The shock jolts her somewhat, fears icy grip begins to loosen, she forces herself to move. To get to her feet. She stumbles and begins to sprint never taking her eyes off of Adora. 

Her legs feel like they’re moving through quicksand but she pushes on. She can make it this time. She can stop the nightmare. Despite how far the edge seems to be, she’s determined to save Adora. 

Slowly Adora’s shocked face falls from view. 

Panic hits Catra as she loses her footing and falls, sliding towards the drop off. Please just let her make it this time!

As Catra slides halfway over the drop, she stretches toward the falling blonde, their fingers graze one another. Desperately Catra reaches trying to get some kind of grip before Adora is too far away.

She’s too late.

Catra watches in horror as Adora falls to the inky black abyss below. Her arm outstretched, as if somehow she would make contact. Tears fly from her eyes, her lips move, saying something Catra can’t make out before the tendrils of darkness pull her under.

And then she’s gone.

******

Catra awakes with a jolt, her eyes frantically look around the room, taking in her surroundings, trying to find an anchor. She’s dizzy as her ears ring, keeping her from hearing any sound. Her chest rises and falls quickly as she gasps for air. Her stomach churns and aches as she forces the need to vomit down. Her claws dig deeply into the blankets around her legs and into her skin. It’s too hard to see, everything is dark even with her feline eyesight. She presses her palm into her eye and looks around again.

The shadows of the room lessen, she can make out shapes. The dim light of crystals glows softly, a large bookcase on the other side looms over her. Blurry versions of frilly furniture come into view. She breathes hard, trying to remember where she is. 

Crystals. Ridiculously bright colours. Soft beds that feel like clouds.

Brightmoon. 

She’s in the castle of Brightmoon. The war is over. Prime is gone. Adora is safe. 

Adora is safe. Her mind repeats.

The ringing slowly begins to fade and a new muffled sound starts to come through. Someone’s voice but she can’t quite make out what they’re saying or who it is. Something squeezes her hand tightly. The voice gets louder.

“-tra.”

Focus on the voice. 

Control your breathing. 

Perfuma’s calming method says in the back of her mind. 

In and out. The ache in her lungs begin to lessen as deep breathes fill them. She’s able to concentrate better.

“Catra.”

She recognizes the voice. It becomes more clear. It’s strong, but soft. As if the person was afraid to frighten her, it they spoke too loud. Slowly she realizes why the voice is so familiar.

Adora.

Catra turns her head, the blonde's face comes into focus. She doesn’t speak right away, words escaping her mind as more of the room comes into view behind her.

More sounds can be heard now, the waterfall, animals in the trees outside. Not deafening but in the quiet of the castle they are more noticeable.

“Can you hear me? It’s ok. I’m right here.” Adora says, a concerned tone in her voice. She gently rubs Catras forearm trying to help her wake up fully.

Still Catra doesn’t respond, she can’t seem to find her voice. Her eyes wander to adoras hands. How someone so strong could be so gentle she could never understand. Her soft touch makes her fur stand on end as she turns her own palms over to hold them.

With another squeeze to her hand, Catra focuses on Adora’s eyes. They’re so beautiful. Like pools of water she would gladly sink into. Such a soft gaze that always was reserved for just her. Under them, there are dark circles much like her own. Markings of fears that haunt them both.

“Can you hear me?” Adora repeats again.

With a slow nod, Catra opens her mouth once again to speak, her throat dries up once she notices the tears fall down Adora’s face. She swallows painfully as her heart wrenches. Her ears fall as the pit of her stomach aches. 

Adora catches her pained expression, and wipes the tears away. “Sorry. You were screaming...i didn’t.. I didn’t know what to do to help..”

Catra lifts Adoras hand to her lips. “You being here is enough.” she croaks. Her body is still shaking violently. She holds adoras hand to her chest trying to gain back some control. She can feel her heartbeat pulsing in her ears. Tears sting at the corners of her eyes.

Melog lets out a worried mewl, brushing her head with theirs. Trying to help their owner calm down the best they can.

They all sit in silence for a moment. The soft chirping of insects and the bubbling of water, are the only sounds

“Was it bad?” Adora finally asks, knowing all too well the helplessness nightmares ensue.

Catra simply nods and kisses adora’s hand again, she wants to fall into adora’s arms right then and there, to feel her holding her close. But something stops her. The stress of her panic washes over her. Bile burns her throat. She throws the blankets away and bolts to the bathroom.

Adora follows quickly with Melog.She crouches and rubs Catras back, wincing at the violent retching. But she stays. She wants catra to know she’s there. That she’ll always be there, no matter what. She’ll wait with her until she’s no longer scared.

The nausea passes slower than it came on. Catra shakily wipes her mouth and leans against the wall behind the toilet. Her throat burns with each breath. Her limbs feel heavy. She can’t even muster the strength to lift her head. 

Adora carefully sits next to her, wrapping an arm around Catra’s shoulders and pulling her close. She hates seeing Catra so frightened, hates what it does to her. She can feel tears against her neck as Catra finally lets them go. The blonde lifts her girlfriend into her lap and hugs her a little tighter.

Catra curls into the blondes hold, her muscles beginning to relax. She feels safe here, shielded from the fear. Sobs softly escape her lips. She wants to forget what happened, King Micha could make it happen. But magic frightens her, having it be used on her brings up terrible memories. She’s worried something will go wrong, and she’ll forget everything, that she’ll forget Adora.

Adora watches as Catra shrinks more closer to her. She knows all too well how bad the nightmares can get, Catra has comforted her more times then she can count. Both of them are always there to bring the other back to reality, with no hesitation. She rocks her slightly and hums a little tune that always made catra happy when they were kids.

“I’m right here.” Adora says simply, kissing the brunette's head gently. She runs her fingers down her scruffy locks and down her shoulders.

“It felt so real..”

“I know.”

Catra weakly pets melogs head, the creature purrs in delight, butting her hand so she can get a spot that itches.

“Hey. Did I ever tell you about the first time Perfuma went to the crimson waste?” Adora asks, a small smile in her voice.

A watery chuckle is heard from Catra as she presses her forehead to Adora’s neck. “How she slimed herself in cactus juice trying to make it grow, in an attempt to impress Huntara? Yeah, it’s still funny.”

Adora kisses her temple.

Catra is no longer shaking, her breathing becomes more even. She doesn’t want to move from Adoras lap but the sour taste in her mouth makes her. She stumbles while trying to get up, and walks to the sink.

Blue eyes lovingly watch Catra’s reflection in the mirror. It’s still hard to believe she’s actually here. That they’re finally together. Finally safe. Her heart skips a beat every time they kiss. Watching Catra smile more each day, makes her feel like she’s floating. They can finally be happy.

Arms wrap around Catra’s frame and she feels Adora’s face bury into her neck. She stifles a giggle as Adora nuzzles her cheek into her fur. “Let me brush my teeth in peace, you big dork..” she playfully pushes adora’s face away and spits into the sink. She catches her reflection in the mirror for a split second. No specters of the past stare back at her this time. It’s just her. Her and the girl she loves. 

Adora laughs and turns Catra around. “Oh, am I bothering you? Well how about this!” She holds catra close and kisses her face in different spots. Shrieks of laughter emit from Catra as she fights to wiggle out of her grip. But adora isn’t willing to let her go so easily. The laughter grows between them both as Adora lifts her and tickles her sides.

“No! Someone help me! she’s gone crazy with power!” Catra shrieks playfully as she manages to escape and run towards the bed, but Adora follows and scoops her back into her arms. 

They laugh together as they fall onto the fluffy bed, in an embrace. Melog follows suit and jumps up with them., licking both of their faces and rolling around, happy that their owners are no longer upset.

Catra coughs as she regains her breath, lifts her head and looks down at Adora. “You’re such an Idiot.” she smiles, kissing her lips.

“Yeah, well I’m your idiot, so deal with it.”

Catra lays her head back down on Adora's chest, and sighs. 

“Do you feel better?”

Catra nods, focusing on Adora's heartbeat. “Thank you.” she purrs as her hair is stroked and snuggles closer to the blonde.

“I’m always going to be here for you, Catra. Nothing will take me away. Not nightmares, not evil overlords from another planet, nothing. I’ll always be right beside you when you wake up.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” Adora lifts her chin and kisses her once again, holding her so tightly 

She feels safe again. Happy. She pulls adora’s hand to her line of sight and plays with the fingers. Her eyes start to grow heavy as they lay there in the quiet, the soft thumps lulling her to sleep. “I love you. So much.” she says softly, giving the hand one last kiss.

“I love you more.” 

The two drift off to sleep in each other's arms, no fears, but rather dreaming of happy times that were still to come.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading my first fic for this fandom! 
> 
> TBH I was originally going to make this a comic but the extensiveness of this story would have been ridiculous so i decided to pick up fanfic writing again. It's been a good few years since i've written anything for a show i love, so i'm super rusty, but i hope you enjoyed it anyways!


End file.
